Plaster-cast saw



March 17, 1925-. s. WALTON PLAS TER CAST SAW Filed Sept. 28, 1922 Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

SYLVESTER WALTON, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PLASTER-CAST SAW.

Application filed September 28, 1922. Serial No. 591,142

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLVESTER \VALToN, a citizen of the United.States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plaster-Cast Saws, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in plaster cast saws, and has for an object to provide for a saw of this class, that positively obviates any danger of a patient being injured during the process of removing a plaster cast.

Another object of my invention is to provide a plaster cast saw for surgery, that is so constructed, that it may be operated more quickly, and in fact reducing the amount of time needed to approximately one-third of the timeheretofore used.

A further object of my invention is to provide a plaster cast saw for surgery, that is adapted to cut through the cast and bandages, in a very efiicient manner.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a plaster cast saw for surgery, that is'strong, durable, simple and inexpensive in construction, and that is well adapted to the use for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages of the 'invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my saw in assembled condition,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is an end view of apparatus embodying my invention,

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a detailed view of a portion of my apparatus.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a referred embodiment of my invention, t e numeral 10 designates a suitable frame, which is preferably rectangular in shape, and which is formed from a single strip of material bent substantially as shown, and fastened together in any suitable manner. Located near one end of the rectangular frame 10, is a shaft ban or 11 supporting a bearing 13, which is @(filPtBd to receive a longitudinal shaft 12 which projects beyond the shaft hanger 11. The opposite end 14 of the shaft 12 is adapted to receive means whereby power may be coupled to the shaft 12 to rotate. the same.

Keyed to the opposite end of the shaft 12, 1s a rotary saw blade 15 which is held in place by means of a removable nut 16.

A semi-circular guard 17 is mounted on the rectangular frame 10, directly above the saw 15, so that therewill be no possible way for the rotary saw 15 to do harm.

Adjustably mounted on one side of the rectangular frame 10, and inclose proximty to the rotary saw blade 15, is an adustable gauge member 18, which is pro- .vided with an elongated vertical slot 19,

which is adapted to receive a set screw or the like 20. This gauge member 18 limits the inclination of the side of the frame on whlch it is mounted so that the saw blade may not cut into the flesh. Mounted on the opposite side of the rectangular frame 10,

is a foot member 21 which is rigidly connected to said frame by means of suitable bolts or the like 22. The foot member 21 is preferably circular in form, and is provided at its outer end with a substantially annular flat portion 23, which is adapted to follow along the flesh of the patient when the rotary saw member is being used. The

contact with the flesh.

In use, it will thus be seen, that power is connected to the shaft 12 by means of the connection 14, which will rotate the rotary detachable blade 15. The auge member 18 may be adjusted to any helght or depth, by unloosening the set screw 20 and moving the member 18 up or down, which movement is provided for b means of an elongated slot 19. The oot member 23 is adapted to ride along the patients flesh below the bandages, and the rotary blade 15 will out through the plaster cast and in most cases through the bandages, but if the blade 15 does not cut through the bandages, the sharpened edges 24 and 25 respectively shape,

following directly in the path of the rotary blade 15, will cut the bandages, in such a manner that when the operation is entirely over the cast and bandages will be cut sufficiently to allow the removal of the entire cast including the bandages. As there is no fear of injury occurring, and this rotary saw is used to cut plaster casts, the work may be done much more quickly than when the old type of cast saws were used, as in the old cast saws, the operator has to be very careful so as to not cause injury to the patient in the removal of the plaster cast.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a very efficient form of plaster cast saw, that will more satisfactorily do the work, and which positively obviates any danger of injury to the patient from which the plaster cast is being removed.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the size and arrangement of parts may be resorted'to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A plaster cast saw of the class described comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a shaft hanger mounted intermediately of said frame, a shaft journaled in said shaft hanger and in one end of said frame, a rotary saw mounted on one end of said shaft between the shaft hanger and the other end of the frame, a saw guard carried by said frame and mounted directly over said rotary saw, an adjustable gauge member mounted on one side of said frame in close proximity to said rotary saw, a detachable foot member mounted on the 0pposite side of said frame and terminating in a point directly below said saw, said foot member being provided with sharpened edges, and said rotary saw, said foot member, and said gauge member being disposed .in substantially the same plane with one another.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

SYLVESTER WALTON. Witnesses:

' N. 'G. MoCUnDY,

Tnos. E. Doss. 

